Title

Author

Date of Award:

1969

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences

Department name when degree awarded

Food and Nutrition

Advisor/Chair:

Ruth E. Wheeler

Abstract

A total of 33 common fruit juices and drinks representing 15 different fruits were analyzed for ascorbic acid content by a slight modification of the method of Loeffler and Ponting (1942). The juices ranged from 0.96 to 50.88 mg per 100 ml. The drinks ranged from 2.12 to 66.10 mg. All the citrus juices ranked high in ascorbic acid content. One drink was fortified with sufficient ascorbic acid to contain considerably more vitamin than was found in pure orange juice.

The ascorbic acid values of different forms of orange drinks and pure orange juices were compared. Except for one brand, all of the fortified orange drinks contained less ascorbic acid than the pure orange juice. Most of these drinks contained medium levels of the vitamin, 16 to 24 mg. One orange drink in cartons and one frozen orange drink had extremely low levels, 3 and 1 mg, respectively.

Reconstituted frozen orange juice retained 99 per cent after 24 hours of refrigerated storage at 40 F and 96 per cent after six days storage.

The method of mixing during reconstituting frozen orange juice had no effect on ascorbic acid content. Results were the same for all three methods.

It is recommended that all consumers read the labels before purchasing fruit juices and drinks when the products are to be used as a source of ascorbic acid in the diet.